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Re: bletilla

Well, Nancy, I wondered that, myself last year and found a helpful orchid
authority on the web who told me that I could try, but not to expect much
as they actually require certain microorganisms (think this was the right
term) in order to germinate and grow, and these are only found in their
native China - think it was ( my memory disks are giving mostly error
messages these days :])

The pods are full of a fluff-like material that is the actual seed.  Unlike
most seed, however, there is virtually no food reserve, so the seed is like
chaff.

If you want to give it a try, you need to get some true sphagnum moss,
dampen it like a moist sponge and sprinkle the seed on it and enclose it in
a zip lock baggie and keep at room temperature.  I did this and had no
results, but you might be lucky.  I suspect that the moss I got might not
have been exactly the right kind in the first place.  I understand it can
take a month or more before there are any results, if any are going to turn
up.  I believe that germination is mostly done in petrie (spelling?) dish
by those who want to propagate this lovely orchid by seed.  

Good luck and if you get any germination let us know!

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
http://www.suite101.com/frontpage/frontpage.cfm?topicID=222
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----------
> From: Nancy Lowe <nlowe@hotmail.com>
> To: perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: bletilla
> Date: Tuesday, October 21, 1997 10:18 AM
> 
> This has been a good year for my bletilla.  I have quite a few of what I 
> am presuming are seed pods.  Does anyone know if it is feasible for an 
> amateur to propogate these by seed?  
> 
> Nancy Lowe
> Arkansas,  zone 7
> 
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